My original plan was to spend 1.5 hours inside the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, Michigan. That was also the time estimate given to me by a friend who had been to the museum before. I thought that sparing 1.5 hours would be enough to roam around the one-floor museum, see the exhibits, and learn its history. Oh boy, I was wrong. The 1.5 hours turned to almost 3 hours! Time ran so fast when I was enjoying every display of vehicle inside the 49,000 sq.m. indoor complex. Being the largest indoor-outdoor museum complex in the United States, I completely underestimated the time.
The Henry Ford Museum that houses historic automobiles was named after the business magnate, Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company.
After paying $29 (admission fee of $23 plus parking $6), I asked for a map of the museum so I won’t miss anything interesting. Then I was told to go through a long hallway to get to the entrance of the museum.
The open layout of the museum was not hard to follow. I started at the exhibits in the right corner of the building then made my way through every interior display, zigzagging most of the time.
Below, I listed all (almost) the historic cars and vehicles that you would see inside the Henry Ford Museum. This list of vehicles would give you a sense of appreciation of how amazing this museum is. Also, the Henry Ford Museum is more than just cars. So when you visit, expect to see other types of locomotives, aircraft, and even Ford’s personal collections of historic objects that date back to the early 1900s.
Presidential Cars
Reagan Car (used from 1972 to 1992). This sleek limousine, first used by President Nixon, provided refuge for President Reagan in 1981 after he was shot by would-be assassin John Hinkley. Like all presidential cars after President Kennedy’s assassination, it is a completely armored closed car with a permanent roof and bullet-proof glass. But, in a concession to the presidents’ desire to be seen, a sunroof panel can be opened for two people to stand up with their upper bodies outside the car.
Kennedy Car (used from 1961 to 1977). The modern new four-door convertible seemed well-suited to a young, forward-thinking president. But tragedy struck when President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, while riding in this car through the streets of Dallas, Texas. As the world mourned, the Secret Service quickly took steps to have this vehicle rebuilt so it would better protect future presidents. Later modifications during Johnson’s and Nixon’s presidencies only served to illustrate the continual tension between the presidents’ desire to be seen and Secret Service efforts to protect them.
President Eisenhower’s Car (used from 1950 to 1967). It was a new era and the old fleet of presidential cars was looking decidedly out of date. President Truman first rode this flashy convertible after it was delivered to the White House along with nine closed limousines in 1950. President Eisenhower later had the car fitted out with a removable Plexiglas top that allowed him to see and be seen even in bad weather. This “bubbletop” soon became the name for the whole car.
Franklin Roosevelt’s Car (used from 1939 to 1950). The first car expressly designed and built for a president White House staff sent five pages of special instructions with the order for this new presidential vehicle. A world war was looming, and added security was crucial. Even more security features were added in 1942, after Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States entered World War II. Other features of this custom-made car made it easier to lift President Roosevelt in and out, since his legs had become paralyzed from the fearsome and incurable disease of polio. Despite these hardships, President Roosevelt enjoyed riding in public, and the top of his “Sunshine Special” convertible was often down as he greeted crowds.
Theodore Roosevelt’s Carriage (used from 1902 to 1928). President Theodore Roosevelt was not fond of automobiles, and rarely used one. He preferred the old-fashioned style of the horse-drawn carriage for public parades and outings. In this luxurious brougham (pronounced “broam”), two passengers could sit in privacy inside, while a coachman out front drove the horses. It was designed closer to the ground than most carriages so passengers could easily get in and out. This carriage was not custom-built—like later presidential vehicles—but was simply the sort of vehicle favored by people who wanted to show off their wealth or power.
